Now THIS is a haul!

This is just part of what we bought in a recent trip to the local farmer’s market. UPDATE: Check out Phoenix Farmers' Markets here and here. We also got lots more veggies and a GIGANTIC green heirloom pumpkin that wouldn't even fit in the picture. 

In this economy, nearly everyone is looking for ways to cut corners and save money. But, one of those cost cutting methods is driving me crazy. People I know keep posting Facebook status updates like, “I bought a week’s worth of groceries for a family of 6 for $65!” Zoom to - a picture of groceries stacked all over somebody’s kitchen counter. 

Contents: a bag of cat litter, multiple boxes of sugar cereal, canned spaghetti, pop tarts, white bread, mac and cheese, various other simple carbohydrate foods with little to no nutritional value. 

Basically, all the food on this list has to be supplemented with synthetic vitamins to provide any nutritional value!

Before you get offended because you posted this picture…the one I’m speaking of isn’t yours. I am worried if you were the one who commented “Teach me your ways, oh great shopper!” 

I guess I’ve been so long in the realm of crazy hippie organic mama (my sister’s title for me) - I forget scoring this kind of stuff is considered a success. Our family uses my mom’s old-fashioned advice - "Buy food from the outside aisles of the grocery store - meat, veggies, dairy, grains, not processed (read: boxed, canned) foods". We make our food from, well, whole fresh FOOD! 


While we follow my mom’s advice in theory, we go about it a little differently. 
1. We buy organic produce (cheaper & fresher at the Farmer's Market than big box stores) 
2. We buy local whenever possible either from the Farmer’s Market or friends.    
*Bonus 1 - we're supporting the local economy 
*Bonus 2 – local = less petrol used to transport = environmentally friendly
*Bonus 3 – Nutrient variety because we eat whatever’s in season  
*Bonus 4 - Our kids will know that milk comes from animals on the farm (not a plastic jug) 

3. We only buy meat when we can afford to buy organic, grass fed - usually from a local farm.
*Bonus 1  – Savings! Legumes & eggs are an awesome & cheap source of protein!
*Bonus 2 – Green choice. Factory farmed meat is a big environmental offender.
*Bonus 3 – the meat we do buy tastes incredible! 

4. We eat like hard core foodies - trying new recipes from with our fresh ingredients using great online food blogs (http://www.101cookbooks.com/or http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/).

A deal is only a deal if the value exceeds the cost. The food I buy must be nutrient dense and have a low environmental impact to make it worth my hard earned dollars. There are a variety of reasons I could list for choosing organic food. Mostly, we think a diet that excludes as many poisonous chemicals as possible from our food and from the water and dirt used to grow it is a serious investment in our family’s future – both in terms of our family’s immediate health and in the health of the world we leave to our children. I would rather spend more money on good food now than pay for bad health in the form of insurance premiums and co-pays later. We eat well to be well.

So, the picture above is MY idea of a good haul. The rest of our shopping trip would include lentils, dairy and whole grains (we make our own bread - using a bread machine - I do NOT have time knead bread myself though I have amazing friends who do it!). The best part is, we get to hang out as a family on Saturday mornings when we visit the farmer's market!

Ok, rant over. Have a lovely day and go eat some REAL food!